The number one key to getting business in the real estate
home sales market is to be people's first contact. The
National Association of Realtor's last three surveys between
1999 to 2003 said 66% of buyers stayed with the first real
estate agent they contacted yet only 6% of this number came
from web sites. This number is rising as people become more
comfortable finding their information on the Internet.
There are three ways to show your uniqueness on the
Internet: words, pictures, and interactive activities.
What is pulling prospects to visit your web site? You have
the obvious -- strategic alliances with lenders, title reps,
home inspectors, appraisers and attorneys. Here are ten
ideas that aren't obvious.
1. Use balloons besides at the open house. Print an action
slogan on the balloon along with your URL -- web site
address. An action slogan is very important, otherwise
people will not know what the URL is for. When attending an
outdoor event, like a fair, carry them, place them on your
children's arm so you can find them, and hand them out.
Take the balloons to the kids baseball games or other
sports. If traveling with balloons is difficult, call the
show's event office and find out if there is going to be
someone there with the equipment for balloon blowing. When
you get there, give them a few dollars to blow a few up for
you. You can order all sizes and balloon shapes:
http://www.gopromos.com/store/cat
egory.asp?CL=101A1276A1292
2. On brochures add an action request, such as "Search all
area homes for sale anytime." Or change "anytime" to
"24/7". If you don't have this on your brochures, go to an
office supply store and pick up some colorful Avery labels,
or maybe you have some hanging around the office, and create
them yourself. Also add your URL to that action request.
Go ahead and use the stickers for a lock box action request,
"If this house doesn't fit your needs, visit [URL] for a
complete search of other homes in this area".
3. Home-For-Sale Signage. Does your for sale front lawn or
directional signs for the open house have your web site
address on them? If not, add them with along with an action
request for all those not quite ready that are driving by,
or for those that don't have the time to stop at that
particular time.
4. Community bulletin boards. Grocery stores, libraries,
community centers. Post your business cards at minimum.
Create tear off tabs small flyers that fit within their
requirements with an action request and your URL.
5. "Honk, if you want to sell your home" can be a bumper
sticker or a clear sign for the side or rear top portion of
the back window.
6. Glow in the dark banners, stickers and auto stickers.
Home signage like: Visit [URL] for complete information on
this property. Make it a glow in the dark for night time
visual effectiveness.
7. What about the times that you don't have office duty?
What about setting up a table for 3-4 hours outside the
grocery stores. Add a nice table cloth, the balloons, and a
large sign, "Ask me anything about buying a home." Or, "Ask
us anything about selling a home." Switch approaches every
few hours to see which one fits best. I don't suggest place
both out there unless there are two of you. Create tee-
shirts with the same action request along with the URL. Use
a table covering that is the same color as the tee-shirt to
help support your message and attractiveness.
8. Transit ads. What type of transportation is available
in the areas you focus in? Is there massive transit like
buses or metro? Don't forget taxi cabs, inside and out, as
well as the taxi stands. Find out where their direct phone
lines are. Sometimes, yet rare, you can place an Avery
sticker next to. One sign works with well if you have this
ability on your web site: "Take a virtual tour of our
latest properties [URL]."
9. This one is something I dreamed up and it really works.
Rig a button that people can press on the side of your car
window that gives off a recording of the latest houses you
available for sale. Then park in obvious places for people
to see the button. Add a sign on the inside of the window
giving them permission to press the button. Caution, this
doesn't work with some car alarm systems.
10. Merchants. Where do you get your dry cleaning done?
Hair cuts, massages, or other frequented stores. Do you
have some favorite restaurants? Can you stock a business
card holder by the cash register? As a previous owner of
restaurants, the one I like best is when the real estate
agent paid for part of or the whole cost of the menus. In
exchange we allowed them to create some marketing
information on the menus.
Testing is always important when trying new things. In
selling real estate, uniqueness is the key. As said in the
latest National Association of Realtors 2003 survey, most
people perceive all real estate agents as being the same.
But you know you aren't. Yet, how are you showing it? Be
comfortable with being uncomfortable. Create play and fun
and stretch with your marketing. Let it be as unique as you
are and then smile all the way to the bank.
Catherine Franz, business coach. Previously a real
estate agent and exec with National Association of Realtors.
Additional articles and ideas about marketing to attract business:
http://www.abundancecenter.com
Blog: http://abundance.blogs.com
Most webmasters are familiar with the concept of reciprocal linking.... Read More
Does your website offer visitors a quick and easy way... Read More
Everyone would like an increase in traffic to their website... Read More
Fresh Web Content Yields Better Search Engine ResultsAll too often,... Read More
Reading the postings in different Newsgroups it becomes clear that... Read More
Here are the website promotion tactics to reinforce and increase... Read More
If you're having problems generating a lot of sales at... Read More
In the current competitive climate, tourism-dependant businesses in Coastal Maine... Read More
You may already have thought about the following 3 ways... Read More
You may ask, what is perpetual marketing?Perpetual marketing means when... Read More
If your website is not generating a lot of sales... Read More
So your having a hard time turning your visitors into... Read More
It's no big secret that banner ads have become less... Read More
I took a look at a new Website recently in... Read More
After the incredible success of Hotmail.com, the use of signature... Read More
We have a running joke in our office that one... Read More
(but also one of the most crucial part)It is time... Read More
Keeping in touch with other sites like Amazon.com, Buy.com and... Read More
Delivering Quality Traffic to your website is essential in helping... Read More
Is your website looking alittle bare? It's okay, you're about... Read More
Would you like to prevent Internet users from visiting your... Read More
Getting a loyal traffic base for your website is an... Read More
Now that you've built your new website you can sit... Read More
How to improve conversion rate for your website? How to... Read More
I feel the most effective way to get people to... Read More
Viral marketing can work wonders for any business, web site... Read More
Once you have built and uploaded your home business website... Read More
1. Ping weblogs.com and other search engines. When you ping... Read More
Does your business struggle with profitable online marketing? If so,... Read More
If you've subscribed to an seo newsletter for longer than... Read More
Before you spend your hard earned money, why not first... Read More
Do you want to advertise about your website?Wait and have... Read More
Is your business lagging behind?Are you frustrated?Cheer up.Here are 10... Read More
Are you happy with your website? (Does your business even... Read More
Let's face it. Getting webmasters to link to your site... Read More
What is endorsement marketing?Endorsement marketing is having famous or reputable... Read More
If you are not getting traffic at your website and... Read More
"One in a million". What do I mean by that?... Read More
Viral marketing can work wonders for any business, web site... Read More
Behind every good web page are codes only the search... Read More
Search engine optimisation is big business. Ezines and websites litter... Read More
When you design a website you should create it so... Read More
This could be the most amazing article to ever be... Read More
Some "experts" say they don't exist. Apparently we have become... Read More
Until recently, audio, video, Flash, and static graphics were all... Read More
I've been operating two small retail Websites for several years... Read More
1. Using Hidden Links to increase subscribers or for a... Read More
If you've gone through all the hard work of a... Read More
If you want to make money on the web, you... Read More
Almost anyone who has tried submitting to free-for-all sites will... Read More
We get so caught up with internet marketing and "web... Read More
If you haven't visited the Google Labs lately, they have... Read More
Cross promoting is when two or more businesses promote their... Read More
Does your business struggle with profitable online marketing? If so,... Read More
Write it, offer it for free on your site and... Read More
Over the past couple of months it has been quite... Read More
If you've ever been to a popular forum hosted by... Read More
Do you know why your website is not making money... Read More
You own a website and you want more traffic. More... Read More
If you've subscribed to an seo newsletter for longer than... Read More
1. Use reward programs to keep people revisiting your web... Read More
Often, website owners would like to promote their new business... Read More
Free For All Links Pages have been given a bad... Read More
The most successful advertising is obviously expensive. There are ways... Read More
Some Internet marketing experts have claimed that the best way... Read More
Directories are the best means for getting related links and... Read More
Web Site Promotion |